


where you've been lost and found out

by orphan_account



Series: better off as lovers [2]
Category: Bandom, Set It Off (Band)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Pining, i had this idea for weeks and just never wrote it but! here we are
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-11-28 17:56:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20970668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Okay?” Maxx says, and still neither of them moves. “You good, buddy?”Cody says nothing to this, and kisses him instead. And, because he’s had a huge crush on Cody for god knows how long, he does the stupid thing and kisses back.





	where you've been lost and found out

**Author's Note:**

> title from "it's not a side effect of the cocaine, i am thinking it must be love" by fall out boy.

Cody puts the van into park. “Anybody got a couple of bucks for gas so we can make it the rest of the way home? I’m running low on cash, and I have like 50 cents on my card.”

Maxx turns around from his spot in the passenger seat to find that he’s definitely the only one listening to Cody, seeing as all of their other bandmates are asleep, either with their seats reclined or on top of each other. He makes brief eye contact with Cody, who gives him a smile that says _ please? _and it’s not even a question that he’s going to give Cody the money. 

He also knows that the _ real _reason Cody is asking is because he doesn’t like being outside alone late at night, especially at sketchy gas stations, which is honestly reasonable. Plus, he’s the only one awake enough to even comprehend what’s going on right now. He unbuckles his seatbelt. “Yeah, I’ve got a few bucks on my card. I’ll come with you.”

“Thank you,” Cody says under his breath, and Andrew mumbles something in his sleep before turning over, and that’s that.

They go outside, and Fall Out Boy starts playing over the shitty gas station speakers, and Cody grins. It makes Maxx think of holding hands in the backseat of the van, a dangerous one-time occurrence that plagues his brain often. _ Don’t think about that. Stop thinking at all. _

His brain is kind of hardwired to keep thinking about Cody though, which is kind of inconvenient most of the time. Mostly because 1.) he’s supposed to be straight, 2.) Cody is _ definitely _supposed to be straight, and 3.) literally any romantic feelings he has for Cody could fuck up not only the band, but also their friendship. It’s a dilemma that makes his head hurt when he’s forced to consider it, so he shoves it onto the backburner as much as he possibly can. 

Cody puts the nozzle in the van and pulls the handle up, locking it in place so that it’ll start running. Maxx just leans against the side of the pump and wishes he had some candy or a fuckin coffee right about now. Wishing to think about anything but that night a couple of months ago. 

“Maxx,” Cody says softly, causing him to look up. His hair is ruffled by the breeze, and Maxx feels a tiny twinge of longing shoot through his heart. He’s used to it by now. 

“Yeah?”

“What’re you thinking about? You look like you’re worlds away from me right now.” 

Maxx gives him a half-smile, and lies through his teeth. “Just about how tired I am. I’m all right.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Yeah.”

A minute or two passes. Then, without warning, Cody reaches out and cups Maxx’s cheek in his hand, and he lets it stay there. He’s wearing these stupid black, fingerless gloves that probably went out of style last year, and definitely don’t keep his hands warm at all. It’s weird, the contrast of the fabric on his palm and his bare fingers holding Maxx’s cheek. Actually, all of it is weird, since this isn’t something they do on a regular basis. 

And his gaze is transfixed on Maxx’s face. It’s not like him at all. _ What is going on? _

“What are you looking at?” Maxx asks, trying not to let the nervous quiver in his voice show. 

Cody looks like he’s having some kind of revelation, but all he says is, “you. I’m just… looking at you.”

“Okay?” Maxx says, and still neither of them moves. “You good, buddy?”

Cody says nothing to this, and kisses him instead. And, because he’s had a huge crush on Cody for god knows how long, he does the stupid thing and kisses back. 

It’s not perfect, but it’s good. Something about feeling the cold metal of Cody’s lip ring in contrast with the warmth of their mouths sliding together makes Maxx feel a little bit woozy. He could pass out, but he doesn’t want that to be his entire memory of his first — only? — kiss with Cody Carson. So he pulls himself together and focuses on Cody’s thumb, which is softly stroking up and down the side of his face. 

Scratch what he said earlier. It _ is _perfect.

The gas pump starts beeping incessantly at them, and Cody pulls back to hit some button that’ll make it shut up. “I guess I should probably actually select what kind of gas we want if I want the van to fill up, huh?”

Maxx had been so preoccupied, he hadn’t even noticed the pump wasn’t running at all. “Oh. Yeah, probably.”

They stand there quietly for another moment or so, as Cody selects the cheapest gas available and finally _ actually _gets the pump running, before he turns to Maxx again. “So.”

“So,” Maxx repeats, shoving his hands into his pockets. _ God, this is embarrassing. _

“You kissed me back,” Cody says, his voice filled with shock and uncertainty. 

“Yeah, well. You kissed me first,” Maxx retorts, his stomach twisting nervously. Watch this turn into some kind of _ oh, you’re ACTUALLY gay? Gross! _kind of thing where he loses his best friend. 

Cody’s silent for a minute, letting his eyes fall closed. The air is buzzing with tension, and Maxx feels like he’s going to fall right through the cracks in the pavement. 

Finally, he opens his eyes. Bright and beautiful. Full of… hope. _ Hope? _ “Can I kiss you again?”

Maxx is breathless with surprise. _ Well. Shit. _ “Yeah. Yes. Please.”

He hopes he doesn’t sound too desperate, but then Cody starts blushing, and he doesn’t have time to think. Cody moves his hand from his cheek to the back of his neck for this one, and closes the gap between them again, and this time Maxx is ready. He gingerly slides one hand around Cody’s waist, and, when met with no resistance, slips it just under the bottom of his shirt. Skin on skin. 

They maneuver backwards until Maxx’s back hits the side of the van, startling both of them but failing to break them apart. This kiss is filled with everything Maxx has never said, making up for lost time. And, judging by how Cody keeps pace with him like he knows exactly where they’re going, he’s making up for some things he never said, too. 

“Cody,” Maxx breathes out between kisses, unsure of what else to say. He moves his free hand into Cody’s hair, and Cody makes a happy _ hmn! _noise at that. 

“Please,” Cody says, and Maxx is 99% sure Cody’s not even sure what he’s asking for, he just wants something he thinks Maxx can give him. Maxx’ll be damned he doesn’t fuckin try. He slips his finger around one of Cody’s belt loops, and pulls him in closer. 

They’re so tired. They’re so _ fucking _tired, and they just want to get home already, and that’s what they’ll probably use to justify this tomorrow. But, like, that’s not gonna stop Maxx from trying to hold Cody’s hand over the center console when he goes to shift gears after they get back in the van. Absolutely not.

The click of the gas pump finally makes them pull apart. Again.

Maxx gets a sinking feeling in his chest, because he didn’t want that to be over so soon, but all good things must come to an end. Cody puts the nozzle back, and takes the receipt, but doesn’t make any move to get back in the van. Maxx can’t bring himself to, either. It feels _ wrong _to just go back go how they were before. 

“We should talk about this,” Cody says, because he’s a Capricorn, and apparently that’s what they do. (No, Maxx hasn’t been looking up their zodiac signs and their compatibility. That would be stupid. Yeah.)

“Do we have to?” Maxx asks, because he’s a Pisces, and that’s what _ they _do. 

Cody looks at him with half-lidded eyes, warmth in his gaze, and that’s all the convincing it takes. Maxx would literally give this man his left foot if he asked for it right now. Well, maybe not _ that, _but like… his drum kit, which is the next most important thing. “Yeah. We probably should, at some point.”

And then he walks over, still radiating warmth, and kisses Maxx for the third time that night, gentle and sweet. It’s over so quickly that Maxx swears it could have never even happened if he’d blinked, but it’s the one that leaves him weak in the knees. 

“Okay, fine, we can talk about it,” Maxx says, and Cody _ finally _laughs. It shatters the tension. 

“Good,” he says, suddenly going bashful, and he takes Maxx’s hand in both of his own, playing with his fingers. “Because I’d like to talk about. Uh. Doing this more, at some point.”

Which is cool, because Maxx could spend the rest of his life kissing Cody Carson and have no regrets. “I could be into that.”

“Well, thank god,” Cody says, and he’s half-joking, but Maxx can detect the hint of truth underneath it. 

“Shut up and get back in the van already,” Maxx mumbles, but he can’t stop smiling. “Or I’ll withhold any further kisses.”

“You would _ not.” _

“I’ve been restraining myself for months, Mr. Carson. You have no idea how strong-willed I have become from this.”

Cody beams at him. “Whatever. What_ever! _God, you’re so…”

“Cute?”

“Ornery. Why do I like you?”

Maxx can feel the blush rising in his cheeks once again. “So you like me.”

“Oh my _ god, _stop ruining the moment.”

-

Maxx does end up holding his hand while he drives — as long as nobody is looking. Cody kisses the back of his hand as they cross back into Florida, and the sun is rising, and it can’t get any better than this.


End file.
